Tonic win in Galway for Tipperary club in All-Ireland Rugby League

Corinthians 39 Cashel 41

There have been many tough battles between Cashel and Galway Corinthians over the years and Saturday last was no exception. The Galway side slipped to Division 2B for a few years but have burst to the top of the All-Ireland Rugby League Division 2A this season with six wins from six.

Cashel, on the other hand, had five wins but as they travelled to Galway on Saturday last they were smarting from an unexpected defeat to Navan the previous Saturday, when they never really got going.

This was the opportunity to put things right and the team delivered in spades in a performance that ripped up the form book and earned five valuable points for Cashel, which helps them keep pace with Corinthians and the other table toppers Instonians, who have blazed a trail from junior rugby to the top of Division 2A in four years.

The scene was set from the very start, as the cheer that greeted the home side as they entered the field was ear-splitting. Conditions were perfect and at the end of a rip roaring game of top class rugby the supporters were left breathless.

From the start Cashel attacked, with the ball passed swiftly to Ben Twomey on the wing. He kicked the ball behind his winger and caught it again but was caught on the line. The forwards went through the phases and Cashel were awarded a penalty, which Twomey dispatched to put Cashel ahead.

Corinthians attacked and it was clear that they were prepared to run the ball at every opportunity. On thirteen minutes one of their moves broke down, Alan Flannery picked up the loose ball on his own ten metre line and raced away to score under the posts. Ben Twomey converted to put Cashel ten points ahead.

With the game still in the first quarter, Cashel were off again as the ball was swept through the hands to Tom Tobin, who beat a number of tackles to score in the corner. Corinthians 0, Cashel 15. Corinthians gradually worked their way into the game.

The forward battles were even, with the Cashel pack matching the home team in every facet of the game. Corinthians’ strong point was their ability to run the ball at pace from all angles. Their out half Orin Burke pulled the strings all day and was one of the outstanding players on the field.

Midway through the second quarter the pressure was on Cashel. A lineout was lost on their own 22. Corinthians were awarded a scrum and when they ball was put through the backs their centre Tom Waters was in for a converted try.

From the kick-off Tim Townsend kicked to the corner. Ben Twomey chased and brought it close to the line. The Cashel forwards once again went through their phases and Alex Harold Barry ploughed over for a try, which Twomey converted.

From the kick-off Corinthians went on the attack. The ball broke loose on halfway, Ben Twomey hacked it up field over the tryline and beat his man to touch down in the corner. With two minutes to go to half time and with a try bonus point in the bag and a 20-point lead, things looked very good for Cashel. Then the penalties came and from there to the end of the game the count was over two to one against them.

The two before half-time resulted in converted tries for Corinthians - one from a lineout maul very effectively executed and the second after sustained pressure from the home pack.

When the half-time whistle blew Cashel’s lead had been whittled down to six points. The half-time score was Corinthians 21 Cashel 27.

Corinthians now had their tails up and ripped into Cashel in the third quarter. After five minutes they were in for another try and now the Cashel lead was just one point. On 55 minutes Corinthians took the lead when a Cashel player was deemed to have deliberately knocked on.

Leading 33 points to 27, Corinthians had scored 26 unanswered points and were rampant. Then one of the few penalties awarded to Cashel was kicked to the corner. The lineout maul brought them to the line, from where Noel Roche barrelled over for a try. Ben Twomey converted and Cashel were ahead, 33 points to 34. The excitement was palpable and there was nobody rushing to the bar - the real supporters were there.

As we approached the end of the game two penalty decisions went against Cashel, the first for offside and the second which was given against Cashel after they drove Corinthians back in the scrum. Both were despatched and now Corinthians led by 39 to 34.

Many teams would have been happy to head home with two points but Cashel found a way. Deep in injury they were awarded a penalty outside the 22. Three points were not going to change the result. The ball was kicked to touch. Bob Dylan’s words came to mind, “Behind every beautiful thing there is some kind of pain”.

That pain was etched on the faces of Ed Kelly and Brendan Crosse as they stood like pine trees in the lineout and encouraged their players for one last effort. The throw was true and high. The catch was perfect and the maul was executed with clinical efficiency as Joe Callery barged over for a try to level the game.

There was still work to be done and Ben Twomey, as cool as could be, slotted the conversion. Two further minutes of injury time were played but Cashel held out for a famous victory.

This was a game of high quality and it takes two quality teams to put on a show like we saw on Saturday. Cashel will wonder how they conceded five tries and won. Corinthians will wonder how they scored five tries and lost. Fortune favours the brave.

Next Saturday Cashel’s attention turns to the Munster Senior Cup when they entertain Bruff at Spafield in their final round robin game. Qualification for the semi-final is still possible. However, I would think that they will be looking ahead to the following Saturday when they entertain Instonians, who have lost only one game in the past four seasons and are level on top with Corinthians, with Cashel one point back.

It’s all to play for.

SEE ALSO: Cashel King Cormacs hurlers finish strongly to beat Abbeydorney

Cashel team (1-20): C O’Donnell, D Upton, A Shirley, B Crosse, E Kelly, D Rowe, R Moran, A Harold Barry, J Pickering, T Townsend, B Twomey, J Ryan, A Flannery, T Tobin, R O’Sullivan, S O’Connell, N Roche, J Callery, P Leamy, M Strydom.